Mark Clintberg

1.  How are you applying your degree in Art History from Concordia?

I teach contemporary art history with a Canadian focus, so my degree in Art History from Concordia is immediately applicable to my faculty role. I also work as a visual artist, and the research skills and knowledge I developed while in my graduate studies have supported (and in many ways steered) my art practice.

2. What do you value most from your Art History experience?

I met incredible faculty who have inspired me to pursue excellence in teaching and research. I model many of my pedagogical strategies on those I encountered at Concordia.

3. Is there a particular memory that stands out from your time at Concordia?

I remember the very first day of a graduate seminar in my MA. I was so excited to be surrounded by a group of people who cared as much about the discipline as I do, who were talkative and interrogative. My cohort bonded socially and intellectually very quickly. That network of support helped me complete the degree, and has remained important in my work to this day.

4.  What advice would you give to someone considering graduate studies in Art History?

I think it's important for graduate students to be flexible and responsive, since there are so many approaches and methodologies in the discipline. It's possible - even interesting - to start a research project with a semiotic focus and then, later on, to incorporate a queer or decolonial perspective, for instance.